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Bark

Bark

Bark is the thing of tales of lore. Bark is a result of the Millard Reaction. Its a substance that builds up on the outside of a piece of BBQ. When you add more sugar the amount of Bark gets greater. When you think about a Boston Butt,Brisket, Whole Chuck, Ribs, Whole Hog, and Shoulders. Any Piece of meat that is cooked in s smoker has the potential of creating Barq on the surface.

What is the importance of Barq? When your flavoring BBQ usually you have a large mass of meat. Meat can be injected which will instill flavor internally but when BBQ is chopped up the main way during the process the meat can be flavored is the outside of the meat. The smoke ring can bring smoker flavor into the meat and the outside can react with the Sugars and Smoke and create a bark.

I took a Boston Completely apart these

These Butts got and even Crust on them

Bark can only form when unwrapped in the main chamber. As soon as you wrap a Butt, Brisket or any piece of meat that just stopped the bark process because the liquid in the wrap is going to add to much moisture to continue the Maillard Reaction. Fast Eddie for Cook Shack told me to leave the large cuts in the chamber longer to form more barq.

Apply rub the more the better

Barq is what BBQ is all about. It should be a goal of every great BBQ Cook. Don’t use tong or puncture tools. Get some BBQ Gloves and and handle gently by hand so you wont break that crust. Break the Crust loose the juice decrease the excellence of the BBQ. That makes you a pitmaster.